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Russia’s Culture War

The focus of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has understandably been on the state of its military campaign. War has long been a prominent component of journalism, combining drama, human stories, iconic imagery, and the sense of history in motion. What is more the relative freedoms of the media in Ukraine and Russia has meant that the frontline in Ukraine is more accessible than those areas falling under Russian control.
What is sometimes missed then is a sense of what Russia is doing in occupied territories in the east of the country, which is a vitally important part of the conflict’s narrative as well as signalling Moscow’s strategic intent for the future. Analysts are describing the ‘Russification of eastern Ukraine”. A sign welcoming people to Mariupol painted has been replaced with one painted in the colours of the Russian flag, instead of the flag of Ukraine. Russian soldiers have started to strip Ukrainian language and flags from occupied territories in the east of the country. Recognition of the Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People's Republic’ has been added to the school programme on the modern history of Russia.
‘Our lot is to take back and consolidate’ historic Russian lands, Putin has said. Ukrainian-language signs are being torn off buildings, painted over or destroyed. There are no more Ukrainian language lessons in the region – even the history books have been rewritten to the Kremlin’s order. All these policies back the narrative from Moscow of Russia ‘liberating’ Russia speakers under threat from Ukrainian ‘Nazi’ leader. It is a reminder that the military occupation of Ukraine’s territory is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Russia’s strategy.
Putin is being incredibly transparent that he is playing a historic Russian playbook of expanding the country’s influence beyond its already vast 6,000 miles wide territory. Catherine the Great was quoted as saying that “what stops growing begins to rot” and Putin, who has now publicly compared himself to Peter the Great, is reasserting traditional Russian norms of privileged interest in their near abroad which essentially equates for limited sovereignty for its neighbours. There are an estimated 22 million Russian speakers living outside of Russia a powerful excuse for these expansionist tendencies.
There is no doubting how culture and language was part of the geopolitical narrative between Russia and Ukraine prior to the dramatic invasion in February. Following the 2014 Maidan Revolution and years of fighting in Donbas, learning Ukrainian became mandatory in schools in 2017. A law was passed in 2019 that initiated a process to make Ukrainian language materials obligatory in all areas of the public sector. About a third of Ukrainians have named Russian as their mother tongue — in the last census, in 2001, and in more recent surveys — and the majority of Ukrainians say they speak it.
Russia’s targeting of Ukrainian cultural sites in contested areas of the country’s east and its decision to force Russian school lessons and currency on occupied territory elsewhere represent a systematic attempt to destroy Ukraine’s culture, Michael Carpenter the U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said this month, though whether or not the efforts amount to genocide remains legally unclear.
Ukraine is of course responding in the culture war space too. Ukraine’s parliament has voted through two laws that will place severe restrictions on Russian books and music as Kyiv seeks to break many remaining cultural ties between the two countries following Moscow’s invasion. One law will forbid the printing of books by Russian citizens, unless they renounce their Russian passport and take Ukrainian citizenship. The ban will only apply to those who held Russian citizenship after the 1991 collapse of Soviet rule.
Pavlo Makov, the official Ukrainian artist, explained that “Russia’s idea … is to eliminate Ukrainian culture. If it has no culture, Ukraine does not exist.” There needs to be far more focus on the cultural component of this conflict balanced from the traditional military one. Whilst Russia’s culture war is of course more subtle and arguably insidious than the movement of troops and tanks, it is of significant importance for the near term future of Ukraine as a state, let alone the relations between the two countries in the future.
BY: James Denselow
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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